FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the confidence course training where they rappelled off a 64-foot tower at Fort Knox, Ky., July 16, 2023. Cadets learned how to properly rappel, the safety of rappelling, and how to tie a rappel seat, called a Swiss Seat, before rappelling off the rappel tower. The purpose of the rappel training is to build confidence in yourself, have trust in your people, and your equipment. Cadets tied their rappel seats, checked their safety knots, and headed to the slant wall, which is a short version of the rappel tower where [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp, complete the 8-mile ruck march during Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky., July 14, 2023. The 8-mile ruck march is the Cadets’ transition into the second half of their time spent in the field before graduation. “The march is at the end of the first phase of our Field Training Exercise (FTX),” said Cadet Madison Cappellano, Virginia Military Institute. “It’s basically a culminating event that transitions to the last six days of the field for the platoon.” At this point, Cadets have been in the field for five days, completing [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — 1st Regiment, Basic Camp Cadets crawled through the Night Infiltration Course (NIC) at Fort Knox, Ky. on July 14, 2023. NIC introduces Cadets to the sounds of the battlefield by having them low-crawl across an approximately 100-meter field with bullets being shot overhead. Cadet Nicholas Mahon from The Citadel, learned new skills as he navigated the course. “This is all new to me,” Mahon said. “I learned land navigation, battle strategies and tactics, and field operations.” Even though this training was new to Mahon, he used his strengths gathered from previous training to not only guide himself [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear training at Fort Knox, Ky., July 14, 2023. During the CBRN training, Cadets learned how to properly use their protective gear before entering the confidence chamber, which is filled with 2-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile. The purpose of the training is to teach Cadets how to react whenever they are caught in a situation with CS gas and how to react to it. Upon arrival there were classes set up for each squad to learn about CBRN. This was Cadet Clayton House from Texas A&M University’s first experience [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky., – U.S. Army Cadets from 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp participated in Group and Zero as part of Cadet Summer Training on Fort Knox, Ky., July 14, 2023. “Grouping” is aligning firearm sights for accurate shooting while “zeroing” is calibrating the sights for accurate aiming at a specific distance. These skills are essential for Cadets to maintain shooting accuracy in a multitude of combat situations.   Cadet Grace Whaley from Norwich University shares her experience during Group & Zero. “I was nervous, I am usually not a good shot and never really practiced shooting until I came here,” Whaley [...]

Special Awards Recipients AUSA Leadership Excellence AwardCadet George N Drivas, Shippensburg University First Command Financial Services AwardCadet Richard C. Mohamed, University of Texas at Austin USAA Warrior Spirit AwardCadet Sylvan M. Huber Feeley, Susquehanna University Armed Forces Bank Performance AwardCadet Pedro Y. Quintana Martinez, Turabo University ARNG Minuteman AwardCadet Joshua D. Norris, Purdue University Reserve Organization of America AwardCadet Andrew M. Coglio, The University of Alabama Military Officers Association of America AwardCadet Owen M. Haynes, Xavier University Military Order of the World Wars AwardCadet Connor J. Blake, Liberty University Bold Leader Spirit AwardCadet Nicholas J. Dowling, Wake Forrest University Magellan Federal [...]

Cadets from 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp, complete their M4 Qualification at Pells ARF Range, Fort Knox, Ky., July 12, 2023. The M4 Qualification is a training event that focuses on a multitude of tasks for Cadets aspiring to become future Army Officers for the US Army. Learning basic marksmanship skills is crucial to this process and ensures Cadets can properly handle a standard military issued weapon. Cadet Ronald Heacock from Tarleton State University shares his thoughts on the importance of this training. “This is something I’ve never done before, so it’s all very new to me,” Heacock said. “I have gone [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from 1st Regiment, Basic Camp challenged the Forest Hills Climbing Complex on Fort Knox, Ky., July 13, 2023. FHCC is a part of training to help Cadets overcome their fears and gain confidence in themselves while completing the different obstacles. “Most people would say that it’s important because it teaches you not to be scared of heights,” said Cadet Dean Grassi, Penn State University. “I think it actually teaches you to overcome obstacles like your fear.” The course is comprised of a rock-climbing wall, two vertical alpine towers, and the high ropes course. All of these [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Cadets from the 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp, conducted a Situational Training Exercise as part of Cadet Summer Training on Fort Knox, Ky., July 13, 2023. During the STX, Cadet’s work as a platoon to practice planning, moving as a team, and reacting to combat scenarios. Cadet Zully Diana Gomez from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign shared her experience during STX. “Today has been a day, this is the first time that we collectively as a platoon get together and run a mission,” Gomez stated. “We have gone from working in eight to 10 Cadet groups to [...]

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Armed with only their wits, strength, and endurance, Cadets from the 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp, completed the confidence course at Fort Knox, Ky., July 13, 2023. During Cadet Summer Training, Cadets are faced with multiple instances in which they must exhibit both their mental and physical capabilities.  “The confidence course is an obstacle course that every Cadet at CST must go through,” said Cadet Melanie Franco, St. John’s University. “It tests basically where you’re strong, where you’re not, and if you can complete each obstacle. Designed to challenge Cadets to overcome their mental stress and push their [...]